Emotional impact of PGP

Pain and immobility can affect you emotionally as well as physically, and at times it can be hard to remain positive when you have PGP.

Many women have experienced the following emotions; you may feel:

Frustrated with not being able to look after yourself or your family in the way you used to

Inadequate and a burden to your family and friends

Angry about your loss of independence and finding it difficult to ask for help

Disconnected from your partner

Guilty about having PGP, that it is somehow your fault

Hopeless, wondering if you will ever get better

Isolated, not knowing anyone else with the same condition

Sad or cheated out of the joy usually felt about pregnancy

Ambivalent about your baby and questioning whether you should have become pregnant in the first place

You should not feel guilty for having PGP; it is not your fault. You are not the only one with PGP, it is a common condition which affects one in five women. There is hope as there is a specific and successful treatment (see our Treatment section for more information).

However, it is normal for you to experience any or all of these emotions.

Sometimes it helps to talk about these feelings with your partner, family or friends rather than bottling them up. Alternatively, some women find it easier to talk to someone outside of the family such as a counsellor. It may be helpful for you and your partner to talk to a relationship counsellor if you are finding that PGP is having a negative impact on your relationship (see our counselling page for more information). You may also find it helpful to read our You and your Relationships page.

The Pelvic Partnership consists of volunteers who have had Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) and wish to support other women. We aim to pass on information based on both research and the experience of other women with PGP. We are not medical professionals and cannot offer medical advice and the information we provide should not take the place of advice and guidance from your own health-care providers. Material on this site is provided for information and support purposes only.